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It’s hard to motivate kids to clean up; let’s face it, who wants to do chores? But cleaning, whether it is in the classroom, home, or even at a friend’s house, is an important part of learning responsibility. Children should learn at an early age that messes created affect other people who live in the same environment and that regularly tidying up is a requirement. But cleaning doesn’t have to be boring! We have a few fun ideas for you to use with your children that will not only teach responsibility, but also give children the motivation to take it!

1. Show Them How It’s Done!

It’s important to remember that children cannot be expected to know what or how to clean without being shown. Work alongside your child in every chore you assign to ensure they see how it is properly done. This will help with both visual learning and setting cleanliness expectations.

2. Dance as You Sweep!

Trust us, sweeping becomes much more enjoyable when dancing! In fact, that one favorite song will make children feel happier about doing whatever chore has been assigned. Movement is important in early childhood development as children work on gross motor skills, handling kid-sized brooms to make sure the floors are kept tidy! Adding a little movement to the picture and encouraging your children to dance as they sweep will have them laughing as they go – keeping messes to a minimum!

3. Race the clock!

Giving children a time limit will make chores a challenge children are willing to conquer! Tell your children they have 15 minutes to see how many chores they can get done before the time is up. This will really get kids moving and motivated to see how much they can accomplish. Have children concentrate on a specific room so they can see the results of before and after.

4. Make It Visual!

Small children are visual learners. Being able to see what is expected for the day will go a long way to keep young minds on track. Establishing a chore board where daily responsibilities are written out under each child’s name is a great way to communicate expectations and give children the satisfaction of crossing off accomplishments. If children have siblings, it will also challenge them to keep up with “big brother” or “big sister!”

5. Give Praise for Jobs Well Done!

When your child sees a chore through from start to finish, it teaches them the importance of following through. This is a big accomplishment! Praise children for jobs well done and it will build self-esteem along with instilling pride in completing assigned chores. Even though cleaning skills are sure to have plenty of room for improvement, concentrating instead on what children have done well will go a long way toward providing encouragement and affirmation.

-We hope you discovered some helpful ways to motivate your children to clean up their mess without the muss! Don’t forget to check out our cleaning sets for kid-friendly brooms, mops, and more!

-Have your own creative ways to get kids excited about cleaning? We’d love to hear from you! Share with us by commenting below or tweeting us @KaplanToys with the hashtag #makingchoresfun